Port Snettisham is an estuary located about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Juneau, and trends southwest for 9 miles (14.5 km) from Speel Arm to Stephens Passage at the north end of the Snettisham Peninsula, Alaska. The bay was discovered by Lieutenant Joseph Whidbey, of the Royal Navy, on August 12, 1794 and named by Captain George Vancouver for a town in Norfolk, England.

At the head of Port Snettisham is Speel Arm and the mouth of the Speel River. The river was named in 1888 by Lieutenant Commander C.M. Thomas, of the U.S. Navy. This is the location of the Snettisham hydroelectric project.

The power plant is fed by two lakes that are tapped from below, negating the need for a traditional dam. The facility is managed by Alaska Electric Light & Power. Snettisham Airport is a publicly owned, private-use aircraft facility also managed by Alaska Electric Light & Power. Read more here and here. Click here to download the CoastView app and explore Port Snettisham.

CoastView is a non-profit science education company. Our mission is to promote exploration of the Alaska, Pacific Northwest, and California coasts through pictures and stories. Please contact us with suggestions, comments, or to report errors. We gratefully accept donations or sponsorships. Thanks for visiting!